Recently received three rejection letters for poems. One was a tiny, standard slip telling me I should wait months before submitting again. One was a regular letter reminding me I was one of thousands but please do send again and would you consider subscribing. (Oh you know how I love that!) And one was an almost-but-not-this-time from a place I was once accepted to but had to pull from and now want to be in! I'll try them again (and maybe even subscribe just because they have never asked me to, so there!)

I'm trying to finish/write/revise some new poems to send out, but not much is coming so far. I have an idea for a chapbook -- maybe that is something to work toward. I've been given a slight reprieve this weekend from major work, so I MUST under press of sail and steam apply that time to my creative writing. I'll give an update on Monday and tell what I accomplished. ...

Monday was a day off work to take a trip and enjoy the summer sun. We wound up at South Street Seaport, a great place to sit in the sun with a cool breeze right off the water. The shops make the area too touristy and typical, but the ships are beautiful, and the view of the bridges and river is nice. Passing the WTC site on the way made me appreciate the day even more.

After some time at the seaport we headed out to walk inland, toward Bowne & Co., which I eagerly wanted to check out, but alas, closed on Mondays. Always the way for me.

We took a nice walk to Chinatown, to one of R's favorite places, New Green Bo. Apparently they make a great Kung Po Chicken. (Not that sensitive me would ingest anything with hot peppers.) The cold noodles were tangy and delicious.

After lunch we darted straight toward the cool shade of City Hall Park and the gorgeous fountain, the gaslights burning and the cold water frothing. I adore that fountain. The ironwork and the inset details are beautiful. We even met up with a black squirrel. I've never seen black; apparently they are common in Canada? Maybe he's an import.

After some refreshing spray on the forehead and sadness that we were out of pennies for wishes, we went straight to Strand. (I'm rather predictable, I know.)

I purchased the following, in order of my selecting them:

• We Walk the Path Together: Learnings from Thich Nhat Hanh & Meister Eckhart by Brian J. Pierce (Orbis Books, 2005)
• Urban Nature: Poems About Wildlife in the City ed. Laure-Anne Bosselaar (Milkweed, 2000)
• Elk in Winter poetry by Robert Pack (U Chicago Press, 2004)
• Living Things: Collected Poems by Anne Porter (Steerforth Press, 2006)
• The Wives of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser (Knopf, 1992)
• Henry the Eighth by Francis Hackett (Liveright, 1945)

I had two other Henry books in the basket but took them out because of their girth, remembering that I had to walk back to the seaport! (R carried all bags chivalrously anyway!) I finally bought some Henry books, figuring that I should finally read up and decide if I want to try a fiction novel on the topic or just drop it. Funny to worry about another novel before the romance is even completed!!

I was just looking through the books I have out on the shelf in the living room when a wave of sadness came over me at how many I have not *yet* read. I have stopped buying books because I have so many waiting, and I really miss reading them. Currently I'm reading The Richest Season, and then I want to finish some novel-writing texts I'm almost through. After that, I'm moving on to the bookshelf. It's time I get back to reading every day. It's more about restructuring the time I have rather than finding it. Of course, writing needs to fall in there too, but it will.

Yesterday was a friend's BBQ that he has every year, so I end up seeing these same "strangers" once a year, saying hi and catching up. I can't believe that year has passed and where I wanted to be is nowhere in sight. It's given me (another) jumping-off point; next time that BBQ comes around I need to have specific things done, specific things to say. At least one of us can talk about being published!

Been thinking quite a bit about the backgrounds of my characters. I'll have to spend the time to write it down this weekend. Once I get that set I'll go to work on writing the actual damn novel again. I've also been mentally working on another poem that came from a recent trip to CT. I'll have to get some notes written on it soon.

Been reading craigslist quite a lot too. Some interesting posts there. You never know what you'll find.

Oh ... last but certainly far from least, here is a link to the best thing I've watched in a very long time. In the July 10 post, click on the hypertext that reads "This is the coolest footage of anything I have ever seen" to watch the video. Thanks to Phil Plait, who runs one of the best blogs on the Web.

Listening to some PF tonight in honor of Sid.

Lime and limpid green, a second scene
A fight between the blue you once knew.
Floating down, the sound resounds
Around the icy waters underground.
Jupiter and Saturn, Oberon, Miranda
And Titania, Neptune, Titan.
Stars can frighten.


Nobody knows where you are,
How near or how far.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Pile on many more layers
And I'll be joining you there.
Shine on you crazy diamond.

Got an offer today for Poetry at a half-price subscription, which I actually might jump on. I've bought a number of poetry lit mag issues recently. I need to see what's being accepted, what styles are out there now. I've also been using lines and themes as jumping points for my own writing.

I'm still waiting to see if M and K want to start our online writing group. I can't express how much I miss being part of a real writing group. I've even considered posting on craigslist and seeing if I could start one up around here, but I'm a bit afraid of what might develop. The best intentions often become something unmanageable and irritating. Aren't I optimistic?

I'm working a lot right now before I go on vacation so that when we go away I can focus on some writing. I also have to find a good book to take on the plane. I'm not the best at handling the flight! I have No Opportunity Wasted sitting here, so that might work. I'd better have Maryann's read by then or I'll be upset with myself!